Top Causes of Kitchen Fires

12/25/2022 (Permalink)

Keep flammable materials away from heat sources

Top Causes of Kitchen Fires

Cooking is an essential part of the daily routine in any home. Whether you're preparing a meal, baking a cake or brewing coffee, these activities take place in the kitchen. However, it's not just about making food — cooking can also be dangerous if left unattended. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are more than 50,000 residential fires each year caused by cooking equipment.

Cooking appliances

Electrical fires are a serious risk in the kitchen. Properly grounding your wires, using surge protectors, and unplugging appliances when they're not in use will help to reduce fire risks.

When you're cooking, be sure to keep an eye on your pans, ovens, and appliances. Some common cooking equipment that commonly starts fires include:

• Ovens

• Stoves

• Microwave ovens 

It's also important to avoid electrical shocks, especially with young children around who may be unable to recognize the danger of touching exposed wires or when an appliance suddenly gets hot. Always keep small appliances away from water, including during cleaning and draining; if cleaning is necessary, unplug them first before wiping down surfaces with a damp cloth.

Remember that most electrical fires start with frayed or damaged wiring—if you notice any signs of wear on your cords or plugs (such as cracking plastic), replace them immediately!

Unattended cooking

Unattended cooking is one of the most common causes of kitchen fires. Cooking oil, butter, and other fats can catch fire if you leave them sitting on a hot stove for too long. It's best to keep an eye on the food you're cooking and never leave it unattended. If you want to make sure that this doesn't happen to you, turn off the heat when something starts smoking or burning. Even if it looks like your pan is perfectly safe, turn off the stove just in case!

If you leave a pan unattended on a burner while it is still hot, it may ignite as well. It’s also important not to overfill your pans with food when cooking—this increases the likelihood that steam will rise off your pan before being released through its vents. This is an excellent way for grease fires to start!

Heating equipment

A kitchen fire can occur when you use anything that produces heat, such as a range, oven or microwave. To prevent a fire:

• Keep flammable materials away from heat sources.
• Check all appliances for damage before using them. Do not use damaged appliances until they have been repaired and restored to their original state.
• Never operate cooking devices while you are sleeping, absent or otherwise distracted by other tasks in the kitchen (this includes cell phones). Always pay attention to what is happening around you so that you notice if something starts to burn or smoke too much before it becomes dangerous

Kitchen fires are a year-round danger.

As soon as you step in the kitchen, you're at risk of having a fire. That's why it's important to be prepared and know what to do if your home catches on fire.

Kitchen fires are more common in the winter because people often use their ovens more during this season than any other time of year. Oven fires can start when something ignites inside a cooking appliance or while you're grilling outside on your patio grill.

Summer is also known for its high temperatures and hot days, which means that there's plenty of heat around your stovetop and oven —and plenty of potential sources for ignition too! If left unattended, these hot surfaces present risks for starting an oven fire or even grill flare-up when combined with grease or oil spilled onto them by careless preparation techniques. 

To prevent a fire:

• Keep flammable materials away from heat sources.
• Check all appliances for damage before using them. Do not use damaged appliances until they have been repaired and restored to their original state.
• Never operate cooking equipment while you are sleeping, absent, or otherwise distracted by other tasks in the kitchen. Always pay attention to what is happening around you so that you notice if something starts to burn or smoke too much before it becomes dangerous.

Kitchen fires can be risky, but they don’t have to be. With the right safety measures in place, you can enjoy your kitchen without worrying about it catching fire.